Pressure responsive valve



1961 M. E. GRES 2,994,267

PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE Filed Dec. 22. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1.

INVENTOR MARCEL E. GRES ATTORNEY5 Aug. 1, 1961 GRES I 2,994,267

7 PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE Filed Dec. 22/ 1955 Y a s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MARCEL E. GRES BY "KKK/34%;

ATTORNEYS Aug. 1, 1961 M. E. GRES PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 22. 1953 R m m V m MARCEL E. GRES ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,994,267 PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE Marcel E. Gres, Austin, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Dec. 22, 1953, Ser. No. 399,842 Claims. (Cl. 1027 The present invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a pressure actuated valve.

Furthermore, the invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved valve adapted for use in an ordnance missile such, for example, as a depth charge of the type known in the art as an ahead-thrown rocket propelled depth charge. In practice such devices are provided with means settable at will to diiferent settings and including an element actuated in response to a predetermined hydrostatic pressure in accordance with a preselected setting for operating a firing switch to a firing position thereby to explode the depth charge at a preselected depth of submergence. Moreover, such devices have not proven entirely satisfactory for the reason that since they are propelled at considerable speed and strike the Water with terrific force, the initial high pressure surge resulting from dynamic pressure produced as the depth charge strikes the water often times operated the pressure admitting means whereupon such pressure actuated the hydrostatically controlled firing mechanism to a firing position and exploded the depth charge prematurely.

In accordance with the present invention a new and improved valve has been devised which overcomes the disadvantages encountered in prior art devices by providing a normally locked piston adapted to be actuated to a release position by a pressure responsive valve carried thereby and movable in response to the initial high pressure surge produced as the depth charge strikes the surface of a body of water thereby to block out the initial high pressure surge and thus prevent premature actuation of the hydrostatically controlled firing mechanism to a firing position. Moreover, the valve remains in the aforesaid closed position during the decrease of the pressure due for example, to missile deceleration and until such pressure falls below the equivalent force of a res ilient element acting on the valve element which moves the valve to an open position whereupon hydrostatic pressure reaches the hydrostatically controlled firing mechanism and actuates the mechanism to a firing position when the depth charge reaches a preselected depth of submergence in accordance with a preselected setting of the depth setting mechanism.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved pressure responsive valve.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a valve for use in an ahead-thrown depth charge wherein means responsive to the initial impact of the depth charge with the surface of a body of water prevents premature firing of the depth charge.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a valve structure adapted for use in a depth charge wherein means responsive to the initial impact of the depth charge with the surface of a bed of a body of water prevents the initial high pressure surge from reaching and actuating the hydrostatically controlled firing mecha- IllSlIl.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve structure for a depth charge for blocking out the initial high pressure surge upon impact of the depth charge with the surface of a bed of a body of water and .for admitting hydrostatic pressure into the hydrostatically controlled firing mechanism when the preset reference pressure is attained.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the device of the present invention with the valve structure thereof initially locked;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, taken at a right angle vwith respect thereto; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the valve structure release and moved to an open position.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the numeral 10 generally indicates the new and improved valve comprising a casing 11 having a centrally disposed bore 12 formed therein and extending substantially therethrough. A retaining or stop member 13 is disposed in one end of the bore 12 and maintained therein in any suitable manner such, for example, as by a split spring ring 14, FIGS. 1 and 2.

A normally locked piston indicated by the reference character 15 is arranged within the bore 12, the piston being movable within the bore when released, the release thereof occurring upon the initial impact of the missile with the surface of a body of water. The piston 15 is releasably locked in the initial position by a pair of oppositely disposed detents -16, normally in engagement with an annular groove 17 formed in the piston and maintained in engagement therewith by a pair of leaf springs 18 secured to the casing 11 as at 19 and to each detent as at 21, FIG. 1. A recess or well 22 is formed in one end of the piston and terminates in a seat 23, the well bordering on an annular flange 24 formed on the piston and having a plurality of ports 25 therein. The aforesaid ports are in registration with an annular groove 26; formed in the casing, the groove being in communication with the surrounding water by Way of an opening or duct 30 formed in the head or leading end of the casing 11 when the depth charge is launched into a body of water. The piston 15 is further provided with a bore 27 disposed in the other end thereof and threaded as at 28 for threaded engagement with a nut or adjusting element 29, the bore 27 terminating in a bore 31 which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the bore 27 and disposed therebetween andthe seat 23.

As shown more clearly on FIGS. 1 and 2, the piston 15 is provided with a plurality of additional ports 32 in communication with bore 31 and with an annular groove 33 formed therein, the groove and ports being adapted to be moved into registration with an outlet 34, FIGS. 2 and 3, as the piston 15 is actuated upon initial impact of the missile with a body of water. It will be understood, however, that the outlet 34 is adapted to be in communication with a hydrostatically operated firing mechanism of a depth charge by way of elbow connector 30, the firing mechanism may be of any conventional type such, for example, as the type wherein a pressure responsive device actuates a firing switch to a firing position to explode the depth charge when the depth charge reaches a preselected depth of submergence.

' A pressure responsive element generally indicated by I the reference character 35 is yieldably supported within the piston 15 by a spring 36 and comprises a head 37 having a tubular protuberance 38 formed thereon, the head 37 being disposed within the well 22. The aforesaid protuberance is provided with an inclined portion 39 normally in engagement with the seat 23 and a guide element 41 somewhat smaller in diameter than the tubular member 38 and slidably disposed within the'bore 31. The guide element is provided with a plurality of elongated ports or slots 42 for permitting free passage of water therethrough when the valve is in an open posi tion as clearly shown on FIG. 3.

A stop 43 is secured to one end of the casing 11 by a screw 44, FIG. 1, the stop being disposed within and extending a predetermined amount into the recess 22 and normally in abutting engagement with the head 37 of the pressure device or valve 35. It will be noted, however, FIG. 1, that the head 37 is maintained in abutting engagement with the stop 43 by the spring 36 when the valve is in an initial position.

The piston is provided with a pair of mutually spaced grooves 45, each groove having arranged therein a gasket or O-ring 46 in sealing engagement with the wall defining the bore 12 of the casing 11 thereby to provide a seal between the piston and casing and thus prevent leakage of pressure therebetween.

It will be understood that the valve 35 may be set to open in response to any one of a number of diiferent pressures by increasing or decreasing the spring force on the valve which is accomplished by movement of the element 29 within the threaded portion 28 of bore 27 either in one direction or the other direction as the case may be.

In operating, the device of the present invention is adapted to be supported at the leading end of a depth charge with the piston 15 locked in an initial position by the aforesaid detent and spring arrangement and the conduct 40 in communication with the conventional hydrostatically controlled firing mechanism of the depth charge. Thus when the depth charge is launched or fired as the case may be and strikes the surface of the body of water, the high pressure surge enters the casing 11 by way of port 30 thereby releasing the detents from locking engagement with the piston 15 whereupon the piston and valve 35 move as a unit in response to the aforesaid high pressure surge. When this occurs the valve 35 moves away from the stop 43 and the piston moves into engagement with the retaining ring 13 and thus aligning the ports 25 with the lowermost portion of .the annular channel 26 and the ports 32 in alignment with conduct 34, FIG. 3. It will be noted, however, that when the device is in the position of FIG. 3, the valve 35 remains in sealing engagement with valve seat 23 and thus the high pressure surge is prevented from entering the conduct 40 thereby preventing premature operation of the hydrosatically controlled firing mechanism. Moreover, in this position the pressure acting on the face of valve 35 is the only force which prevents movement of the valve by the spring 36 to its initial position as shown on FIG. 1. However, when the pressure falls below the equivalent force of spring pressure, the valve is moved away from the seat 23 and toward stop 43 as shown on dashed outline in FIG. 3, thereby unseating the valve. When this occurs, hydrostatic pressure is admitted to the conduct 40 by way of the aforesaid ports and annular grooves and thus the hydrosatically controlled firing mechanism is now in communication with the surrounding water. When the depth charge sinks to a preselected depth of submergence in accordance with the preselected setting of the depth control mechanism, the firing mechanism is actuated to a firing position and the depth charge is exploded.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a new and improved valve structure has been devised wherein valve means movable to a closed position upon the initial im pact of the missile with the surface of a body of water blocks out the initial high pressure surge due to such impact, the valve remaining closed during the decrease of this pressure due to missile deceleration and until the preselected pressure is obtained at which time the valve means is moved to an open position thereby to admit hydrostatic pressure into the hydrostatically controlled mechanism.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. A hydrostatically operated device comprising a casing, a normally open inlet port for admitting an initial surge of hydrostatic pressure into said casing, an outlet port in said casing normally sealed oif from said inlet port and said pressure, a plunger releasably locked to said casing, a pressure responsive element yieldably supported Within said plunger for moving said plunger to a release position in response to said initial surge of hydrostatic pressure, means on said pressure responsive element in sealing engagement with said plunger for sealing olf said initial pressure from the outlet port, means for yieldably supporting said pressure responsive element within said plunger and for moving said element sufficiently to unseal said sealing means when said pressure has decreased a predetermined amount, and means including an aperture in said plunger for allowing the pressure to flow through the outlet as the sealing means is unsealed by said yieldable means.

2. A hydrostatically operated device comprising a casing having a normally open inlet port for admitting an initial surge of hydrostatic pressure into said casing, an outlet port in the casing and normally sealed ofi from said inlet port and said pressure, a plunger releasably locked to said casing, means including a pair of detents for releasably locking the plunger to the casing, a pressure responsive element for releasing said detents and moving said plunger a predetermined amount in response to said initial surge of hydrostatic pressure, stop means on said casing for limiting the movement of said plunger, sealing means on said pressure responsive element in engagement with said plunger for sealing off said initial pressure from the outlet port, a resilient member in engagement with said pressure responsive element for moving the element sufliciently to move the sealing means out of engagement with the plunger when said pressure has decreased a predetermined amount, means including an aperture in said casing for allowing pressure fluid to flow through the outlet as the sealing means is moved out of engagement with said plunger by said resilient member, and stop means on said casing for limiting the movement of said pressure responsive element.

3. In an automatic fluid transfer device for a depth charge, the combination of a casing, a normally open inlet port for admitting hydrostatic pressure into said casing as the depth charge forcibly strikes the surface of a body of Water, an outlet port in said casing normally sealed off from the inlet port and said pressure, a plunger releasably locked to said casing, a pressure responsive element arranged within said plunger for moving the plunger to a release position in response to said initial surgeof hydrostatic pressure, valve means on said pres sure responsive element in sealing engagement with said plunger for sealing off said initial pressure from the outlet port, yieldable means for moving said element sufficiently to unseal said valve means from said plunger when the pressure has decreased a predetermined amount, means including an aperture in said plunger for allowing pressure fluid to flow through the outlet as the valve means is unsealed from the plunger by said yieldable means whereby a hydrostatic operated firing device may be actuated to a firing position in response to an increase in said pressure when said depth charge reaches a predeter-mined depth of submergence.

4. A fluid operated device comprising a casing, a normally open inlet port arranged within said casing for admitting an initial surge of fluid pressure into said casing, an outlet port in the casing and normally sealed 015. from said inlet port and said fluid, a plunger releasably locked to said casing and movable a predetermined amount when released,.detent means in engagement with said plunger for releasably locking the plunger to the casing, means responsive to said initialsur'ge of fluid pressure for releasing said detent means and concurrently therewith moving the plunger said predetermined amount, means on said pressure responsive means and in normal sealing engagement with the plunger for sealing off said initial pressure from said outlet port, means in engagement with said pressure responsive means for moving said sealing means out of sealing engagement with said plunger When said initial surge of fluid has decreased a predetermined amount, and a passageway in said plunger for allowing the fluid to flow through the outlet port as the sealing means is unsealed.

5. A fluid operated device comprising a casing, a normally open inlet port arranged within said casing for admitting an initial surge of fluid into said casing, an outlet port in the casing normally sealed off from said inlet port and said fluid, means disposed within said casing and movable a predetermined amount for unseal- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dauphinee Aug. 10, 1926 Campbell July 8, 1941 

